GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — The mom recovering from stage 4 cancer who had been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been temporarily released, according to her family.
Tania Romero's children made a nationwide call for her release – scared she wouldn't be able to get the treatment she needs in her native home of Honduras.
Last month, Romero's children told 11Alive's Elwyn Lopez their mom has always fought to give them a better life – helping one get into a Ph.D. program at Yale. They wanted to fight for her.
“Today, I am writing to celebrate the news that my mother has been temporarily released," her daughter said in a statement to 11Alive. "She still faces potential deportation, but our hope is that our motions and appeals will rule in our favor.
Romero is with her family now and is beginning a long road to recovery, according to her daughter.
In 2017, Romero was diagnosed with mouth and throat cancer. She's been receiving treatment, but her family fears what possible deportation could mean for her.
“It could mean the death of her, if nothing worse," Cristian Padilla said to 11Alive last month. "Her health will decline.”
Romero's children admit their mother came to the U.S. from Honduras illegally. Arrest records show she was pulled over in Gwinnett County for speeding in August and arrested for driving without a license, then transferred into ICE custody.
Before that, Romero's children said their mom worked non-stop to give the four siblings a better life. Last week, the family claimed she was almost deported. But now, she's been temporarily released.
"My mother's case remains in jeopardy and we are still cognizant of her precarious status," the statement said.
The next court date is Dec. 2.